For many, expanding government’s role in health care means a deepening slide into socialism.

But if our health care system can’t compete with other countries’, it means our businesses can’t compete, our manufacturers can’t compete, our retailers can’t compete, and even a number of services can’t compete.

If we forego the chance to reform health care, we might be on the right — but losing — side of an ideological argument. Essentially, countries like China, Japan, and Germany would be creating favorable business conditions and we wouldn’t be, playing a game of monopoly capitalism where we would not be able to participate.